Shloka 12
Adhyāya 189: Japa—Inquiry into the Jāpaka, Method
Vidhi), and Fruit (Phala
गोभ्यो वृत्ति समास्थाय पीता: कृष्युपजीविन: । स्वधर्मान् नानुतिष्ठन्ति ते द्विजा वैश्यतां गता:,जिन्होंने गौओंसे तथा कृषिकर्मके द्वारा जीविका चलानेकी वृत्ति अपना ली और उसीके कारण जिनके रंग पीले पड़ गये तथा जो ब्राह्मणोचित धर्मको छोड़ बैठे, वे ही ब्राह्मण वैश्यभावको प्राप्त हुए
gobhyo vṛttiṃ samāsthāya pītāḥ kṛṣyupajīvinaḥ | svadharmān nānutiṣṭhanti te dvijā vaiśyatāṃ gatāḥ ||
Bharadvāja said: Those twice-born who took up their livelihood from cattle and from agriculture—so that their complexion turned pale—and who no longer practiced their own prescribed Brahminical duties, those Brahmins indeed came to assume the condition of Vaiśyas.
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that varṇa-identity is tied to the performance of one’s prescribed dharma and customary livelihood: when a Brahmin abandons Brahminical duties and lives by cattle-rearing and agriculture, he is described as having entered the condition of a Vaiśya.
Bharadvāja is explaining a principle of social-ethical classification within the Śānti Parva’s discussions: he cites how certain twice-born, by adopting pastoral/agricultural livelihood and neglecting their own dharma, came to be regarded as Vaiśyas.